Destiny's Landfall
A History of Guam, Revised Edition
University of Hawaii Press
This revised edition of the standard history of Guam is intended for general readers and students of the history, politics, and government of the Pacific region. Its narrative spans more than 450 years, beginning with the initial written records of Guam by members of Magellan 1521 expedition and concluding with the impact of the recent global recession on Guam’s fragile economy.
[A] splendid history.
A definitive reference work on the subject of Guam. . . . Replete with a panoply of colorful incidents, written in an easy style that eschews academic prose, and sprinkled with colorful colloquialisms . . . Destiny’s Landfall should hold the attention of the most jejune undergraduate student. For the serious scholar of Pacific Island history, it furnishes far more than just a comprehensive coverage of Guam because of its many references linking Guam developments with those in other island areas. And its inclusion of a vast array of detail, fleshing out the broader sweep of Guam’s history, should make this book a useful reference source for all.
Rogers has written a first-rate history of the American territory of Guam and its Chamorro inhabitants. . . . [He] skillfully weaves his narrative around the anthropological theme of ‘the parable of the tribes’—the tendency of resilient, nonpower-based societies to adapt to the culture of modern, power-based societies in order to survive. . . . A fascinating, well-written work. . .. Highly recommended.
Robert F. Rogers taught history and political science at the University of Guam for many years. He now lives in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i.
